Civic Body Issues Notice to Maharashtra School Over Alleged Ban on Religious, Cultural Symbols
Civic Body Issues Notice to Maharashtra School Over Alleged Ban on Religious, Cultural Symbols
Parents allege students were barred from wearing tilak, bangles, rakhi; school denies issuing any such restriction
The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) in Maharashtra has issued a notice to a private school after parents alleged that students were prohibited from wearing traditional religious and cultural symbols such as tilak, tikli (bindi), bangles, and rakhi or sacred threads.
Parents claimed that the tilak applied by some students was forcibly removed and that children were threatened with punishment, with some even being physically reprimanded. The controversy surfaced after parents approached local representatives, who escalated the matter to KDMC’s education department.
Following the complaints, KDMC issued a formal notice to the school on September 30, seeking clarification on the alleged restrictions and disciplinary actions. “Immediately after receiving the complaints, the department issued a notice to the school. We are confident the matter will be resolved soon. There is no need to escalate the issue,” a KDMC official said, stressing that the matter would be settled amicably through dialogue.
The school management has strongly denied implementing any such ban, calling the allegations “misleading.” In a statement, it said: “The school has not issued any fatwa. We give top priority to the safety of the students and work to maintain harmony between parents, teachers, and management.” The administration reiterated its commitment to secularism, quality education, and student well-being.
Local political workers have also raised the issue with the civic body, which has assured that the explanation submitted by the school will be reviewed before any further action is taken. For now, the KDMC has called for calm, urging both parents and the school to resolve the matter without disrupting academic activities.
The incident has sparked debate in the local community over the balance between school discipline and respect for cultural and religious expression.
